Uttar Pradesh
The Ganges River forms the backbone of Uttar Pradesh, and most of the state consists of the vast Ganges plain. The Ganges is the sacred river of Hinduism, and four of the religion's seven holy towns are in the state, including Varanasi, the holiest of them all. Uttar Pradesh is also a place of major importance to Buddhists, for it was at Sarnath, just outside Varanasi, that the Buddha first preached his message of the middle way.
Cities - Lucknow:
The state capital was associated with the princely court of Oudh and then with the British. Both cultures linger on in the city, whose finest monument is the Bara Imambara. The Lucknow Residency was site of the Great Revolt of 1857 - you can still see the cannon marks on the walls. The La Martiniere school, founded by Claude Martine, a French soldier, blends Mughal, Hindu and Italian architecture and is a leading educational institution. The Nawabi tradition lives on in the leisurely habits of the people, their style of speaking, the architecture, etiquette, mouth-watering cuisine and elegance.
Agra:
Agra is full of magnificent monuments dating back to the 16th and 17th century.
Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary:
Situated at Bharatpur, 55 kilometres from Agra, is one of the finest bird sanctuaries in the world. What was once the private hunting ground of the Maharaja of Bharatpur is now a protected breeding ground for hundreds of species of birds. Several species of migratory birds, especially the Siberian Crane, spend their winters here.
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